Seitengewehr 42
The Seitengewehr 42, Seitengewehr Modell 42 or SG 42 was developed in 1942 by the Wilhelm Gustloff Werke and manufactured by Carl Eickhorn in Solingen. The Gustloff Company and its chief designer, Carl Barnitzke, got German patent 766198 in October 1942 for an Armeemesser (Army knife) according to its description. The SG 42 was intended to supplement and later replace the original S84/98 III bayonet of the Karabiner 98k service rifle. The Seitengewehr 42 was designed as a multi tool combat knife, but could also be mounted as a bayonet on the Karabiner 98k. The S84/98 III bayonet itself was a proven design, but there was a shortage of utility knives in the German military, which were usually procured privately.
After consistently positive reception of several hundred pieces in the 1943 troops trails, the production was approved by Adolf Hitler, but this should take place because of the cost of a conversion of production until after the war. In 1944, an order for 10,000 pieces was issued by the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Office), the production was started, but due to the end of the war, only a small number was delivered. SG 42's were manufactured by Waffenfabrik Carl Eickhorn in Solingen and toolkits by Robert Klaas of Solingen.[1]
Technical specifications
The SG 42 were largely made from stamped sheet metal parts. The handle scales and sheath are inexpensive and quickly produced, molded phenolic resin parts. The blade length was 179.5 mm (7.07 in), the total length was 304 mm (12.0 in) (317 mm (12.5 in) with sheath). The blade had a fuller. A detachable toolkit was contained in the handle that could be used for rifle maintenance and other tasks. The toolkit included a screwdriver, small knife, awl and a corkscrew. The protective bracket of the handle served as a cartridge case extractor.
Analogous to the development of this knife bayonet after WW II, a worldwide development of the bayonet as a mere cutting and stabbing weapon to the plantable utility knife (saw, wire cutter) started. The Sudanese bayonet for the post WW II ArmaLite AR-10 battle rifle was an adapation of the SG 42 with only slight alterations.[2]